National Conference Plans New Delhi Protest Over Jammu Kashmir Statehood

The Jammu & Kashmir National Conference is organizing a series of protests and political mobilizations to demand the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, which was revoked in 2019. The campaign will culminate in a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20, coinciding with the start of Parliament's monsoon session. Party president Farooq Abdullah has invited various political and religious figures, including Mehbooba Mufti and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, to join the action.

To build momentum, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is scheduled to address public rallies in Srinagar on July 11 and Jammu on July 12. On July 7, Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah met with over 150 civil society representatives at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre in Srinagar, where participants unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Union government to fulfill its promise of restoring statehood without further delay, citing a December 2023 Supreme Court judgment.

Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary stated that the current Union Territory status restricts the elected government's ability to function independently and negatively impacts development funding and employment. He asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had previously promised the restoration of statehood, a commitment he claims remains unfulfilled 18 months after the formation of the elected government. Additionally, the party has urged Raj Bhawan to restore the July 13 holiday to honor the 1931 martyrs.